Across the room, Asher continued pounding the piano keys, his grin identical to his mother’s—triumphant. The maids kept their heads lowered, pity flickering in their eyes, but none of them dared step forward.
Ethan trembled beside me.
For him—and only for him—I sank lower until my forehead nearly touched the floor. Tears slid down my cheeks as I whispered,
“I’m sorry, Marina.”
Laughter erupted. Glasses clinked.
“At least she knows obedience,” one man sneered.
Marina dabbed at her eyes and approached, smiling sweetly. She patted my head like I was a stray animal.
“It’s alright,” she said gently. “Vivienne is simply unwell with jealousy. I forgive her.”
The men praised her generosity, every word slicing into me.
“What a compassionate woman.”
“So gracious.”
Ethan’s small voice pierced through the noise.
“Don’t talk about my mama like that! She’s not sick!”
Dominic’s expression darkened instantly. He snapped his fingers.
“Take that bastard away before he embarrasses me further.”
The maids hesitated, then gently pried Ethan from my arms. He screamed, clawing at me, but they dragged him away while I remained on the floor, shaking, my heart splitting apart.
Dominic lifted his glass with satisfaction.
“This is why discipline keeps women obedient.”
The men laughed. One leaned back, smirking.
“Lock her in the basement until she learns manners.”
Dominic chuckled.
“That’s not a bad idea.”
I stayed silent. If I spoke, it would only get worse.
When the guests finally left, the villa fell into an eerie quiet. My cheek throbbed. My hair was still tangled from his grip. As I walked down the hall, Marina stepped into my path, her perfume suffocating.
She leaned close, her whisper sharp.
“Did you hear them laugh at you? Even Dominic doesn’t see you as a wife anymore. Soon you’ll be nothing but a servant. Or maybe he’ll toss you and your bastard into the streets.”
Her eyes gleamed.
“Asher will replace Ethan in everything. Music. Legacy. Even affection.”
I couldn’t respond. My throat felt shredded, my heart hollowed out.
That night, in the cramped maid’s quarters, I lay beside Ethan. His breathing was uneven, his tiny fists clenched even in sleep.
I pressed my hand over my mouth and cried silently, choking on every sob. But somewhere deep inside, something ignited. Dominic would never protect us. Marina would never stop until Ethan was erased.
In the darkness, I whispered,